Stop The Arms Fair (STAF) is a collective of groups and individuals who organise to take action against DSEI, one of the worlds largest arms fair, which takes place every two years at the Excel Centre in Newham.
In 2021, DSEI brought together over 30,000 arms buyers and dealers to network and make deals. Governments and military delegations, including from countries involved in military conflicts and at war and on the government’s own list of human rights abusers, browsed the wares of 1,600+ arms companies selling everything from guns and bombs to fighter jets and warships. They were be joined by companies selling surveillance equipment, drones and other tools of repression to police and state agencies, as Counter Terror Expo took place alongside DSEI. DSEI is an important event for the UK state, which heavily subsidises and promotes the arms industry, and helps organise the arms fair. It is where war starts but it is also where we can stop it.
The day of planning will involve discussing the structure and future of STAF and how we can best plan for DSEI 2023 and future DSEI’s. We welcome new and old STAF crew to come join us on this day. STAF welcomes people of all different skills whether you are creative, an incredible organiser or have ideas you want to make happen. This meeting with be more focused on forming structure and forming working groups so they will have a focused agenda. However, there will be regular open meetings after this so there will be plenty of time to incorporate everyone’s ideas, and if you can’t make this date or want to get involved in a different way, no problem, just drop thema message so we can keep in contact.
You can keep in touch through their Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @stopthearmsfair!
On the day they will have some food and drinks available but please do bring along some lunch and whatever else you might need.